Acceptance
by RhoWithTheFlow
Summary: No matter how many times you rewind the clock, some lives cannot be saved. A lone shrub deep within a cave serves as indisputable proof of that. Rated T for themes.


**-Acceptance of a Terrible Fate-**

 _Termina was saved._ The demon that attempted to call down the moon to end the world was stopped and the king's daughter was rescued from Woodfall temple. But, none of that changed anything. Nothing could change this. Nothing could bring back the dead.

A lone shrub, frozen in it's last moments of both life and agony, stood weakly beside a cliff, deep within a cave, deep within a clock, deeper within a heart. Beside it, the head butler of the Deku king kneeled, so broken that no song of healing could ever repair his wounded soul. The road only continued in a single direction, unwavering and unbranching, yet he found himself more lost than he'd ever been. The maze of reality itself seemed to crush him, the walls on either side closing in with each passing second. He wanted nothing more than this to be a nightmare. He wanted everything to be a terrible dream, so he could wake up. He wanted so badly to wake up. He wanted to scream, to break himself from the heavy chains of reality, but his sore voice did not carry far enough for the goddesses to hear.

He reluctantly recalled the day that his son left. His son had dreamed of being an adventurer his whole life. On days when he had nothing else to do, he would go to the cave beside the palace to train for hours and hours, returning only at the end of the day with scratches and bruises that the palace's doctors would promptly address before scolding him for putting himself in danger. Then, on one terrible day, his son came to him and explained his dreams of being an adventurer, of seeing the world beyond the southern swamp and what laid even beyond that world. His son then mentioned that he intended to begin his adventures soon and wanted to say goodbye. However, the strict Deku butler was completely against the mere prospect of his son leaving the southern swamp, let alone exploring the lands beyond Termina. He was reluctant to even let his son go to the potion brewer's hut to restock the palace's medicine a few months back. Termina itself was home to many dangerous creatures, who could say what laid beyond? It was extremely dangerous. His son could lose his life and never return. He told his son that he was never to pursue his absurd dreams and was to remain in the southern swamp. Despite this, his son was already set in his plans and did not care much for his fathers reaction to his decision. Though it hurt him, he left that night, sneaking past the night guards of the palace. He didn't turn back. He didn't say goodbye.

The broken butler felt a burning, unwavering hatred. On one side, he hated himself, for not supporting his son's decision. He hated himself for not saying goodbye. He hated the demon that killed his son, Majora, and could not find solace in the reality that Majora had been slain by the hero of Termina and would no longer be able to cause more death and suffering. Worst of all, though he didn't want to admit it, but a small part of him hated his own son. He was right, in the end, that the life his son dreamed for so long of would lead to his demise. He hated that he was right.

He looked up into the inky abyss above him. Where was Nayru's protection when his son so desperately needed it? Why did the goddesses let this happen? He would give anything, even his own life, if it could bring back his son. He son didn't deserve this fate. This terrible, terrible fate. The cold abyss above him did not respond. It did not care. He would do so much to make it care, to make it listen, but it wouldn't. It couldn't. It never would. It was cold and unchanging, just like the cruel reality that he found himself trapped within. He didn't know the price of freedom from this cage, but he knew that he would never be able to pay it.

His gaze shifted to the other abyss, below him. He didn't want to consider what he did, but he couldn't help but find himself wondering. _Could he see his son again in the afterlife? Is there even an afterlife?_ The questions piled in his mind as the tears flowed freely from his eyes. He just wanted answers, so he took a step forward. He just wanted something, anything, so he took another step forward. He just wanted his son, who was taken from him. Stolen from him. Ripped from him. Just one more step and he'd fall. He told himself that there would be little pain and either his questions would be answered, or, at the very least, he'd be free from his sorrow.

Then, something stopped him. A memory. He wasn't sure if it was real or fake, but opaque and unmistakable images flashed before him in his mind. He saw his son with a strange, pointy green hat upon his head, running through the tunnels of the cave beside the palace. He saw himself racing with his son, just like he did many years ago, his son close behind him, quickly catching up. He laughed with glee as they neared the end of the cavern, his son caught up to him, passing him. In the end, he had lost, but he couldn't care less, he had his son, that was all that mattered to him. He heard himself speak, and though he couldn't quite understand what he was saying, he knew it had something to do with his son. It was then that he realized that he wasn't speaking to his son, but rather, someone that looked very similar. For a moment, he expected to feel utter crushing disappointment, but to his surprise, he didn't. When he finished speaking, the Deku scrub that resembled his son walked up to him, with a look in his eyes that looked so very familiar. He realized that it was the same look he saw when his son told him about his plans to leave the southern swamp.

The Deku scrub took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around him and spoke, "Goodbye, dad."

With tears blinding him, he hugged back and he slowly and softly returned to reality. He found himself. He was no longer lost. The broken butler took several hasty steps back away from the cliff that once tempted him and looked upon the lone shrub that was once his son. His only son. He opened his mouth to speak, but for several moments could not find the right words. He tried again, this time knowing exactly what he wanted to say. What he wished he had said. He choked on a few sobs, then, so quietly that even he could hardly hear his own voice, he spoke,

"Goodbye, son."

 **A/N:**

 **Man, it's been a really long time since I last wrote a fanfiction on this site. Honestly, my writing has changed a lot in the past two or so years, just as I, myself, have changed. I have a few other ideas for Majora's Mask fanfics, but this was just kind of an idea that popped into my head and I wanted to write it down as soon as I could. I actually haven't been writing a whole lot lately, and I feel like it kinda shows in this little one-shot. Hopefully, I can get back in the swing of things after writing a few more one-shots.**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading! Until next time, see ya!**


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